Don't send school children home over PTA dues

Tema, Nov. 20, GNA -- The Tema Municipal Director of Education, Mrs. Lucy Kwapong, on Saturday warned that any school authority in the municipality who sends school children home over non-payment of Parent-Teacher-Association (PTA) levy would be dismissed outright. She said under the government capitation programme school fees are free and this should encourage school going children to enrol in the school without hindrance while PTA levies are supposed to be voluntary, which does not attract coercion.

Therefore any head teacher who sacks a child from classes for non-payment of PTA dues has him or herself to blame. The Director gave the warning at the 30 anniversary of Tema Star Basic School, which was celebrated under the theme: "thirty years of excellent education, Star-the way forward".

She called for complementary roles of all related partners in education like the parent, teacher and students/pupils to ensure quality education in the system.

While parents must endeavour to invest in their children's education by supplying them with their basic necessities, teachers need to put in their maximum to teach and students should also eschew social vices and study hard to excel in life.

he entreated the three partners in education to ensure that government's efforts in delivering quality education through teaching and learning succeeds.

The Guest Speaker, Dr Nii Ebo Mills, Senior Lecturer of Quince Lincoln University Centre in Accra asked teachers not to take advantage of the availability of libraries in their schools to ask the children to be in the libraries all the time instead of teaching them. He said libraries should serve as complementary and not substitute for teaching where teachers would deliberately asked the children to be there and use the time for their private work.

Dr Mills, an old boy of the school advised parents against pampering their children but rather instil discipline to mould their character for them to become responsible adults.

He advised the pupils to take English and Mathematics seriously because they are the pivot on which all subjects revolve, without which they cannot excel in other areas.

Mrs Gift Avorkliyah, head of the Junior Secondary section of the school said starting with 200 pupils and nine teachers in 1995,the population has increased to 984 with 28 teachers and 10 non-teaching staff.

She paid tribute to past head teachers, especially Madam Victoria Asare Agyeman, the pioneer, for their immense contribution towards the growth of the school The school prefect, Master Emmanuel Acheampong, appealed to philanthropists to help furnish the computer laboratory, equip the science laboratory and erect a wall around the school, saying that these vital facilities would help promote quality teaching and learning.